


When Masks Crack

by IcePrincesChan



Series: [OP] {One-Shots} [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha!Luffy, Alpha!Nami, Alpha!Sanji, Alpha!Zoro, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Artists, Beta!Franky, Beta!Robin, F/F, F/M, Gin (One Piece) - Freeform, Insecurity, Just Something That I Wanted To Make, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega!Usopp, POV Usopp, POV Vinsmoke Sanji, Romance, Sanji Cares But He'll Deny It, Secret Crush, Secrets, Self-Worth Issues, Slow Burn, Usopp Is A Dear, Usopp Is Pretending To Be A Beta, alternative universe, past trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-01 05:54:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15767955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcePrincesChan/pseuds/IcePrincesChan
Summary: Usopp is trying to hide his true nature, and thus, his growing feelings for the blond-haired, women-loving alpha cook.Sanji is trying to comprehend what is so alluring about the long-nosed male beta in their crew.A balance made of lies and pretences all cracks in one moment, revealing the well-hidden truth that they are not ready to face, yet.





	1. Bad As Far As First Meetings Go!

**Author's Note:**

> This is a new story that I felt like making before going to sleep.  
> It will be more like very short one-shots depicting some scenes about this pair...

East Blue | Baratie

Usopp was feeling nervous in this fancy restaurant.  
The cooks were intimidating. The waiter/sous-chef was even more scary than the rest... and what is even worse is that he is an alpha.  
Usopp was proud of himself for getting comfortable around alphas (Luffy, Zoro and Nami). But, that didn't mean that he could put his guard down around any alpha! The blond cook has already irritated him by giving him mashrooms. Mashrooms!!! He even had the gal to demand payment from Usopp (and not from Nami!) for something that Usopp himself hated (more like loathed!).

Because of his past (unfortunate) encounters with alphas when he was still in Syrup village, Usopp couldn't trust any of them.  
But, after meeting Luffy and getting help to protect his village from Kuro and his crew, Usopp came to view the three pirates (Luffy, Zoro and Nami) as his friends, making them an exception to his rule of never trusting any alpha. He, even, went as far as to accompany them in their adventures and join their crew.

Usopp tried so hard to hide his omega status, taking too much suppressants and wearing baggy clothes that couldn't show his slender form. He, even, grew his hair to hide the nape of his neck (where his scent gland was) to make sure no-one would touch his neck without a barrier (even if that barrier was just a curtain of curly hair).

Usopp hated how frightened he would get whenever an alpha came close to him... and this is what is happening now. Luffy crashed in the restaurant, an hour ago. So, now, he needs to pay for the damage he caused by working here. In other words, they will have to stay docked here until the debt was fully paid.  
As if this wasn't bad enough, Usopp had to suffer the consequences of being Nami's nakama.  
It turned out that the Baratie's sous-chef was an alpha, a women-loving alpha. So, it was only natural that he would gravitated toward Nami. What Usopp didn't expect is for the blond alpha to make a bee-line for their table whenever he entered the dining-room (which was too much because of the number of guests asking for the cook to thank him personally for the delicious food).

Usopp was lost in though when he felt eyes on him. Looking up, he met with sharp, unreadable blue eye staring down at him.

\- W...What?! , squeeled Usopp as he noticed the blond's eye on him.

\- Just remembered something , said Sanji while getting out a cigar and putting it delicately between his lips without lighting it up , By the way... you have a good taste in perfums.

With that, the cook turned back, heading for the kitchen's door. Usopp was left behind, perplexed and a little lost. 

\- But... I don't have any perfum , mumbled Usopp while , unconsciously, rubbing his throbbing nape.


	2. First Sight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is basically the same chapter. But, it's set from Sanji's POV  
> Enjoy!

East-Blue | Baratie

 

Sanji knows that he should do something better. That he shouldn't waste his break-time looking at a strawhat-wearing boy fixing (breaking) the wall he damaged earlier that day. But, he just couldn't help it. The boy was strangely eye-catching. Not in a romantic way, mind you. But, in an "I can't just ignore him" kind of way. He was wearing a red open vest and blue shorts. His choice of clothes was, in itself, gathrring attention. And yet, it fit him well, somehow. But, what was even stranger was the old (but obviously, cared for) strawhat on top of his head.  
Sanji really didn't know what to make of this boy.

Sanji was quite fond of the sea. The blue colour has always calmed his mind. Maybe the reason behind such an effect would be the beautiful memories that such a colour invoked in him.  
It was the exact shade as his mother's eyes.  
So, whenever he can, Sanji would take an ash-tray with him outside, so he could enjoy a smoke while looking out, at the blue expense of water in front of him.  
Now, as the cooks called him in to serve the new customers, Sanji put out his cigar in the ash-tray, intent on headinding back inside.

From his position on the doorway, he could hear the others scoff and mutter under their breaths, probably about him. That has been always the way around here, ever since they opened this sea-restaurant.  
Sanji moved forward, putting as much care in his walk and appearance as he did in the plates he served, not caring about the dark looks thrown his way whenever he passed one of the other cooks.  
Standing up in front of the decorated plates and checking one last time for anything missing or excuted poorly. Nothing. Everything was perfect.

Taking the tray in one hand and opening the swinging door with the other, Sanji stepped inside the main dining hall.  
He took a second to locate the new customers' table. His eyes landed on the muscular back of a , seemingly, brute alpha. He was wearing a white T-shirt, a green belly-warmer and black trousers and boots. Definitely not his type.

Sanji felt the first wave of disappointment close in on him when the brute alpha lounged back on his seat, revealing the most beautiful sight Sanji has ever seen. A breath-taking girl, with short orange hair and gleaming honey-coloured eyes was laughing at something that the strawhat boy had said-- wait what?! What is that boy there anyway?  
Sanji shook his head and stared back at the mesmorizing lady. She was wearing a white T-shirt with blue lines and a yellow mini-skirt. The clothes were hugging her mouth-watering figure comfortably. She looked stunning, like a Goddess.

Sanji hurried -with the tray still in his hand- to meet this gorgeous Melorine! (his previous disappointment all by forgotten after seeing the female customer)  
Putting the food on the table, Sanji made a knightly bow while introducing himself and presenting her with a red rose.

 

After that, the time flew by quicker than he would have liked. It turned out that the new customers were part of a pirate crew and that their captain was none other than the strawhat-wearing aloha, whom they call Luffy.  
The beautiful girl's name was Nami and she was their navigator. And she was an alpha, too. The marimo's name turned out to be Zoro and he was their swordsman/vice-captain. While the long-nosed beta -that Sanji almost missed, if not for Nami-chwan's throughful introduction- was called Usopp and he was their liar (...yeah, and who's Sanji to doubt the captain's words). The other two were just friends tagging along for some time.  
All in all, the group was a bunch of misfits. Three alphas and a stuttering beta. And Sanji has no idea how did they even manage to sail under the same flag, really.

New customers came and others left and Sanji was, once again, moving between the kitchen and the tables outside. But, he would always check on them -just Nami-chwan, really-  
Half an hour later, Sanji found himself in the kitchen drying his dump hands, a long stock of clean plates resting on the counter.  
Remembering that roundy group from earlier, Sanji straightened himself and headed back out to see if they needed anything else.

Step after step, the distance between him and the table getting shorter by the second. A beautiful smell was dancing in the air around him.  
Sanji couldn't pinpoint when his brain started going fuzzy. A thin foggy screen caging his consciousness, making him drift mindlessly between the tables, unaware of the world around him.  
The spell was broken when his legs hit an empty chair, two tables away from his destination.  
He looked up to find some customers looking at him with something keen to confusion, dancing in their eyes. He apologized courtly, wishing them a good meal before continuing his way as if he has known all along what he was doing. A little nagging feeling sat in the back of his mind, but Sanji made a conscious effort to ignore it as well.

Focusing back on the world around him and taking a breath to clear his fogged mind, Sanji caught that unmistakabke smell again.  
Some kind if memory wormed its way to the front of his mind and warmth gathered behind his breastbone. Like an old black and white movie, scenes started playing in front of him. Some older than the others. But, all of them had a tender, dear undertone to them.

A smile. Sometimes happy, sometimes proud, spreading warmth inside his small heart.  
A hand. Patting his head or back, giving him the comfort he, so desperately, needed.  
Eyes. Blue eyes. The same shade as the calm sea he sees everyday. The same eyes he sees reflected on the mirror every morning, but, fr more gentle and kind. Shining with so much happiness and delight as Sanji made meal after meal for that dearest woman.  
The picture of his mother, with her blond hair and easy -albeit tired- smile came, suddenly, to his mind. Of when she would call him over to her bed and hug him tightly to her chest -to her beating heart- to tell him a story of a kind prince who wanted to help his people and pursue his dream.  
But, what he remembered -most vividly- was his mother's smell, that delicate thing warping around his small frame as he pushed his tiny body further in his mother's welcoming embrace.  
It was the most mesmerizing scent that Sanji has ever smelled. Unmistakably an omega's, unmistakably his mother's.  
Sanji had to make a conscious effort to pull himself out of that consuming memory.

He focused for a moment, trying to catch that smell that started it all. It smelled like an omega's scent. But, it can't be possible, for that smell came directly from the long-nosed beta sitting alone in the -now empty- table, and mumbling grumpily under his breath while looking at his plate -now empty as well save for the bits of mushrooms scattered around it-   
Sanji felt confusion and a foreign sense of interest flare behind his ribcage.  
Not one for letting the uncomprehensible mess with the sensibility of his mind, he stubbornly crashed all those feelings the moment they made their presence known. And he answered instead, to the curious -albeit wary- eyes looking at him:

\- I just remembered something.

And when the look in those big chocolate eyes turned suspicious, he took one of his cigars and put it between his lips without lighting it, and continued:

\- By the way, you have a good taste in perfums.

But, even as he said that, Sanji couldn't bring himself to believe it.


	3. Close Calls And Mikan Kittens (Part I)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the third chapter :D I am so glad to have finally finished it.  
> It will be posted in two parts. And also,  
> I will post a seperate author note after I post the second part (and it's a bit sad for those who got used to reading more than one chapter each week :(. So, I won't ask you to look forward to it).  
> Oh! And thanks a lot for the kudos and comments! It really means a lot to me *loving-eyes*

East-Blue | Baratie

 

Usopp has been doing nothing for an hour now. Just sitting on his seat and drowning himself in doubts and massive waves of 'What Ifs'.  
His table has been already cleared of all plates by a grumpy-looking cook. Not the blond alpha, though.

Since the alpha cook talked with Usopp earlier that day, Usopp hadn't seen his face. Instead, the one who collected the empty plates and served him a -now empty- cup of bubble tea was a different man. A beta with dark blue outfit and a white aproon held around his waist.

Usopp couldn't decide if he was relieved or disappointed that the sous-chef hadn't been the one to tend to his table.

In one hand, the man was handsome. So very handsome. His features were aristocratic and beautiful. With a pair of sharp blue eyes, a straight nose, a pair of thin and well-defined lips and golden, soft-looking hair.  
If Usopp didn't know better, he would say that the cook was a prince or something equally majestic.  
  
And he was an alpha, too. A very strong one at that, judging by his strong and dominating scent. That same scent that almost made him choke in his own salive upon smelling it for the first time, when they stopped at the entrance of the dining hall, watching with obvious fascination as the suit-clad cook kicked the ass of a marine officer.  
  
If the scent didn't give him away, then his strenggh and physiques would have done the trick. The guy was every omega's wet dream. His attire was black and formal, yet sharp and elegant. And as he turned that marine into a bloodied mess, Usopp could see the muscles rippling and flexing under his shirt.  
  
So, like any normal/healthy omega, Usopp was having more than one problem by the end of that glorious show.

On the other hand, his encounter with the blond earlier made Usopp a bit more self-conscious than he already was.  
He wouldn't kid himself and pretend that nothing happened. When the alpha complemented his "taste in perfums", Usopp was too confused -and scared- to process it.  
  
But, now that some time has passed and he was -thankfully- left alone to ponder on what happened, with any disturbance, Usopp concluded that the alpha has -miraculously- managed to pick his scent from under so many suppressants and scent-masking pills.

Usopp was surprised that the blond didn't point out his obvious lie. But, he couldn't just rely on his luck to protect his secret. He needs to make sure that the alpha would say nothing about it.  
But, what if the cook didn't come to the conclusion that Usopp was, in fact, an omega and truly believed that it was just perfum?  
Maybe he should work on that little misunderstanding and expand it into a lie that he could use against the blond cook, in case he got suspicious?

Well, hopefully, everything will get back to normal as soon as they paid for the damage that Luffy caused to the restaurant and set sail again. Granted that Luffy didn't succeed in making that same cook join their crew.  
Luffy has been pestering the guy for some time, now. And he didn't seem inclined on giving up one him, just yet. Knowing his captain, the guy might actually accept the offer.   
  
And where would Usopp be if that happened? Will he remain in such nerve-wrecking suspense for the rest of his life? Who is he kidding! They will never accept an omega like him on board with them! No matter what he does, he will never be able to match their strength. Shame will fall upon them the moment they realize that they have a weak, good-for-nothing omega among them. What use does he have compared to four alphas (When -not if- Sanji accepted the offer)? Nothing, nothing at all...

Usopp was caught up in his own mental torture that he hadn't seen the broken man coming inside the restaurant. It took a fight breaking for him to come out if that inner prison.

Looking over at the left corner of the restaurant, Usopp found the blond cook helping a man. An omega. The guy looked tired, beaten and dehydrated. In short, he looked more dead than alive.  
  
The way the alpha cook wound his strong arm against the omega's back to help him stand up, made something in Usopp's chest clinch, almost, painfully.  
Instictively, the long-nosed boy put his hand over his heart in an attempt to lessen the pain, while closing his eyes tightly and taking deep breaths.

When the pain subsided, he opened his eyes to find no trace of the pair...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah...  
> Tell me what you think in a comment and leave kudos (if you didn't do it, yet :p).  
> Oh! and if you have requests, then please, tell me!  
> PS: I will post the second part in an hour or so :p


	4. Close Calls And Mikan Kittens (Part II)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here it is, the second part of this heart-breaking chapter :( *AboutToCry*
> 
> There will be a moment of heart-wrecking pain *sob* by the end. I will not make a Sanji POV chapter. So, I will make a game in the ending note of this part. I will write four sentences (that we have seen in this chapter) and you guys will conclude Sanji's feelings from those four seperate sentences...
> 
> Well, enjoy!

(Suite)

 

[ When the pain subsided, he opened his eyes to find no trace of the pair ]

Without thinking about it, his body moved on its own accord, pushing the chair back and getting up.  
His steps echoed back in his head. He could feel his breath coming out shallowly and the beating of his heart sending vibrations against his ribcage.  
He became hypersensitive to the smells around him. The food, the cologne and the scents. All of them wrapping around him, making him dizzy. His temple was starting to throb.  
But, he continued his path, without knowing where his body was leading him.

Tripping on a woman's veil and almost toppling over on the wooden floor, Usopp felt a wave of nausea hit him.  
Choking on the bile rising in his tightening throat, Usopp took a sharp turn to one of the more secluded balconies at the fr side of the room, only to find himself staring at the older omega from earlier.  
He was sitting on the floor with his back to the sea. In front of him sat a bowl of warm, delicious-looking soup. But, the omega wasn't looking at it -not anymore, anyway-, he was looking at the blond alpha staring out at the sea while taking a drag from his lit cigarette. The way the omega was looking at the blond cook made knots form in Usopp's lower stomach. And not the good kind of knots, mind you. He was looking at the aloha with so much respect, admiration and... love.

Usopp closed his eyes tightly. His body sliding down the strong walls. He brought his knees to his chest, willing his heart to stop pounding against his ribcage.  
He felt his body temperature increasing. Bids of sweat covering his temple and the sides of his face. And his long curls starting to cling to his forehead.

The sudden rise made his headache worse. The back of his eyes started hurting as well, making them water. Ters fell down his cheeks creating pale long tracks against his dark skin.  
He wound his slender arms against his belly trying to lessen the tightening he was feeling down there. But, to no avail.  
Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he tried to make sense of what was happening to him. After a few minutes, he found out the problem.

He was having... a pseudo-heat.

If Usopp could care to describe his state at that moment, he would say it was messy, chaotic... hellish.  
The realization did nothing to make him feel better. If anything, it made him panic. He tried to stand up, only to end up falling back down. His tired shaking legs giving up under the sidden weight that he put on them.  
He tried again, rising slowly while putting one hand around his belly and another on the wall, to help him keep his balance.

When he was sure that he won't fall back down, Usopp started moving his legs tentatively, one step after the other, trying to reach the bathroom.  
But, with every new step he took, his body strted trembling even more, the knots in his lower-half getting tighter and his vision starting to blur, obscuring most of the path in front of him.

One second he was standing. His vision all but gone along with his sense of direction. And the next second, he was sitting on the hard floor. Head hitting the wall behind him and bouncing back.  
The jolting made the world around him spin. So, he did the only thing he could do to relieve himself. He pit his head between his knees and threw up. Between his legs. On the polished, clean wooden placks.

Usopp didn't know how long he stayed that way. But, he could still feel the tears running down his cheeks.

In a moment of sudden clarity, he heard the tell-tale sound of shoes hitting the floor, getting louder. Someone is coming! He must hide!  
But, even as the realization settled in his bones, his body wouldn't obey him. He just can't move!

The helpless feeling that took over his entire body made him cry even harder. Long, shuddering sobs coming out of his lips. A tail of salive sliding down the corner of his mouth and snot dripping from his nose and inti his shaking lap.  
The fear that took over his body was not the result of knowing that his friends will surely find out. It was more than that!

The looming threat of anyone -any alpha- finding him in his most vulnerable state and doing anything and everything to him, while he was unable to defend himself made Usopp's mind go back in time to seven years ago. And the knowledge that after finding such an amazing family and finally getting rid of the loneliness that almost made him go nuts, he will go back to Syrup village and subject his body and his mind to that same kind of torture.  
Usopp just couldn't do that! He'd rather die than go back there, again!

The sound of foot-steps grew louder. Two or three more steps and whoever out there will turn the corner and... find him.  
Usopp's heart beat grew more frantic. His breaths becoming more shallow , coming in and out in quick succession.  
He could see the tip of a polished shoe stepping in from around the corner, when someone took him by the hand and slammed him hard against the wall while covering his mouth with... their own?

An alpha scent penetrated his nostrils, startling him. Then all of a sudden, the scen got sharper and stronger, more demanding, more dominating... and a whimoer came spilling from Usopp's wet gaping mouth.

And in one second, everything stopped. He opened his eyes (when did he close them?) and came face to face with very mischieveous honey-coloured eyes. The sound of retreating foot-steps mixing with the other background sounds around them.  
The person looking up at him was...

\- N... N... Nami?! What are you doing here? I... I di--

\- Shush, Usopp. I am not going to hurt you. So, stop freaking out, ok? I just caught your scent and just knew that you have lended your ass in a problem. So, I came to check on you , said Nami lightly, taking a step away from the distressed omega.

\- S... So, now, you know... . I... I'll go and get my things from the sh--

\- Oh my God! Stop being so silly, Usopp. We are not giving up on you just because you're an omega! Do you hear me? This is so stupid! And I actually thought that you are smarter than that , shided Nami exasperatedly while, playfully, smacking his forearm.

\- I... They... They are all alphas. You are all alphas. But, I am an omega. I'll only cause them more trouble. They don't need me. I'll be a burden to you all. I am... weak... , said Usopp while putting his head between his hands, tears threatening to spill at any moment now.

Nami remained silent for a moment, observing rhe young omega before sighing and saying:

\- Hey, this is not true! But, no matter what I say, you won't believe. So, let's make a deal, ok? I promise not to tell anyone about your secret until you tell me to.

\- And what is your gain in all of this? , asked Usopp suspiciously.

\- I've already got paid for my services. I git a kiss, didn't I? , said Nami jokingly, amusement dancing in her eyes.

Her answer turned the long-nosed boy into a stattering mess. His face turned scarlet from embarrassment.

\- And how could you do that?! You didn't even ask for my permission first! , shouted the omega, his face still red and warm from his nakama's words.

\- It served its purpose , shrugged the strawhat navigator.

\- Ehh?!

\- You really are clueless, aren't you? Your scent was pretty obvious. Anyone could catch it and understand that you are an omega. And it was the reason I managed to find you in the first place. So, when the other came to see what happened, I had to mask your scent with my own. But, spreading that strong of a scent is usually accompagned by a strong emotional state like anger... or arousal. And since you were so out of it to play it off as a heated argument, I had to kiss you to make it seem like I was aroused... Humf... How embarrassing! But, it worked in the end! , explained Nami, before turning back on her heels.

\- B... But, Nami, who was the other one, you were talking about? Is he one of the crew?! , said Usopp worriedly.

\- Who else would go out of his way to check up one a distressed omega, dummy? Of course, it's... Sanji.

And Usopp would be lying if he said that his heart didn't rt just shutter to a million pieces at the sound of that name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (...Then all if a sudden, the scent got sharper and stronger, more demanding, more dominating...)
> 
> (...the sound of retreating foot-steps mixing with the other background sounds around them...)
> 
> (... spreading that strong of a scent is usually accompagned by a strong emotional state like anger or arousal...)
> 
> (... Of course it was Sanji...)
> 
> What do you think? Tell me in a comment ;)


	5. ****Author-Note****

Hey, dear readers,

First of all, I am so glad because of all your feedback and how much devotion you have for this story.

I truly want to make as many chapters as I can as it is my passion to write. But, since college will start this week, I have to inform you that all my stories will be updated once a week from now on, on Saturday.

I hope that you guys don't hate me for this! But, it just couldn't be helped :(

Thanks again and see yah <3


	6. Resident Alpha (Part 01)

East-Blue | Baratie

 

Sanji felt trapped in this place. Sometimes, the thrill of going out and searching for the All-Blue would stir under his skin. Making his blood churn and boil. 

But, this feeling was different. And it's making him restless. Every time he inhaled and filled his lungs with the fresh air of the never-ending sea, that smell would come to caress his senses. Making him go crazy.  
He felt uncomfortable in his own skin. Irritated beyond what's common. Beyond what is logical. Sensible. Explainable.  
He felt like something was missing. Something weird was happening to him. Like the world is no longer good enough for him. He wanted something. Or at least, a part of him did.  
But, he didn't know what it was, exactly. 

The same thing couldn't be said about his inner-alpha, though. That damned part seemed to know more about this foreign -native, a small voice in the back of his mind supplied- feeling than it was letting on. And for once, that part of him was as silent as the grave.

Sanji would've strangled it if it was a tangible being.

While contemplating the sea and trying to decipher the strange behaviour of his treacherous senses, Sanji hadn't caught on to the fight taking place in the dining hall, not until the sound of crashing chairs reached his ears, anyway.

Thinking that another idiotic customer was picking a fight again, he straightened his back and took long purposeful strides toward the afore-mentioned room, intent on knocking some sense into the head of whoever dared to disturb the, otherwise, serene atmosphere.

Swiping a sharp blue eye over the room, he found one of their chefs kicking someone. Heading for them to better understand the situation, Sanji threw a quick look at the Strawhats table, seeing the turned back of one particular beta. He seemed to be in some kind of a trance. A hand tagging gently at a stray string of dark curly hair, while the other was drawing absentmindly some kind of invisible patterns on the table-clothe.

Sanji turned back to the problem at hand, only to find himself face to face with a mess of limbs, chairs, tables and swear-words.  
How the long-nosed beta managed to miss it all, Sanji had no idea.

Looking down, Sanji found an omega laying on the ground. Beaten. Starved. Desperate. And Sanji felt his inner-alpha stirring.

Sanji was a ladies-man. That was a universal truth that no-one could deny. But, what no-one (but Zeff) knew was that Sanji can't let an omega -no matter the gender- get hurt in front of him. It's more than just an alpha's inner workings. It wasn't there all the time. But, it was, also, born before his second gender manifested.

To Sanji, an omega is that delicate, yet strong-hearted, beautiful creature.  
In Sanji's mind, the word "omega" will always bring back a wave of warm memories.  
Of strong, yet gentle arms around his back. Of unwavering, yet kind blue eyes.  
Of blond hair adorned with soft daisies.  
Of safety and protection...  
Of his mother.  
And thus, no matter the person in front of him, a omega pleading for help must be aided.

Zeff had taught him that a man should never harm a woman. And it was a lesson that Sanji lived to honour and spread.

But, his mother... His mother, had taught him, through her own sacrifice, that an alpha should always help omegas in need.  
That omegas are beautiful creatures and that one should always see underneath whatever façades that they wear.  
That, sometimes, they had to be someone else in order to protect themselves or the people they hold dear.  
That this world can be a harsh place for omegas and that, no matter what, love and kindness are stronger than anything else.  
And most of all, that there must be someone out there for everyone, even Sanji.  
He only needed to be patient and the right person will find their way in his life.


	7. Resident Alpha (Part 02)

Sanji looked at the omega at his feet. He can’t let him get manhandled like that. The blond alpha surpassed a sigh. His fellow cooks could be downright brutal sometimes. 

Sanji kneeled down, one knee touching the floor and the other bent forward. He scooped the beaten omega in his arms, mindful of his bruise-colored skin and leaking injuries.   
After having maneuvered the light weight into a more secure position, Sanji stood up, not paying any mind to the gaping customers or the furious cooks around him. He made his way to a semi-open door at the end of the hall. A balcony. Old but beautiful, one of the first balconies they built on the Baratie. Now, it has become all but abandoned, not that Sanji minded that. It was one of his favorite spots on this sea-restaurant, away from snobby customers, complaining fellow workers and –occasionally- the nagging old man himself. So, all in all, Sanji liked this place, a lot.

Averting his eyes back to his recent charge, Sanji made a mental note to make something nutritional but quick and easy to swallow for him. The shorter man looked almost too thin, especially with the prominent dark deathly circles around his eyes.

Bypassing the old wooden door, Sanji fetched a warm blanket from a bench to the side and put it on the slightly-dump floor. He knelt down again, putting the omega gently on the old fabric. Said omega looked up at the alpha, while giving him a grateful smile – that came out more like a grimace than anything else. Sanji returned the smile, trying to be as reassuring as possible for the sake of his new charge.

He took off his black jacket-suit and put it carefully on the shorter man’s shoulders, after Sanji saw him shiver subtly at a particularly harsh wind-blow coming from the sea, at his back. The omega looked stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting such a thoughtful gesture, even though Sanji made it obvious from the very beginning that he was there to care for the man in front of him.

-Thank you, cook-san. You are very kind.

Sanji smiled more genuinely at the sincerity in the other’s voice. The happiness brought by the things he does for others, has always been more rewarding for him than any material goods.

-Nah, don’t mention it. The guys outside could get a bit too tough when the restaurant gets mixed into the mess. My name is Sanji, by the way. What is yours, if you don’t mind? It will be easier to address you if I know your name.

The man looked back at Sanji, a small smile taking over his face, before answering:

-Gin… My name is Gin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sanji-san.

-The pleasure is all mi—

A growl sounded from the space between the two men, specifically from the omega’s stomach. Sanji chuckled a bit at the barely-noticeable flush on the older man’s tired face. Hearing Sanji’s laughter made the other join in as well. 

The alpha’s smile was really beautiful.

-Gin-san, mind waiting for me for a bit. I’ll make some food and bring it here. It won’t take long.

And before the omega could articulate any words, the sous-chef has already disappeared behind the wooden door of the balcony.   
Gin smiled to himself, remembering the alpha’s smile, once again. It was the sincerest smile that one has ever directed to him.   
It was pure luck that made them stumble upon this sea-restaurant. And Gin is glad that this is where they landed. Not only because of the promise of food, but mostly because he got to meet a kind alpha like Sanji-san. 

Gin has been in a bad place most of his younger years. No-one seemed to care whether he lived or died. After all, he was an omega. But, all of this has changed the day he met Don Creig-sama. The older alpha accepted him for who he was, not giving a damn about his second gender. And as time passed, Gin got stronger – for the sake of achieving his savior’s goals – until he was given the honor of being the captain’s right-hand man. 

Looking now at Sanji, Gin could see that being alpha doesn’t mean that you can’t be gentle and caring to the people around you – even if they were just filthy stray omegas. And with this realization came another, that Don Crieg-sama might not have cared about him as much as he thought. This new found knowledge sat like a mountain over the omega’s heart. And he would rather not think about it now, or else he’ll make Sanji-san’s day even more tiresome than it has already been, with his undoubtfully grumpy attitude.

As he was still contemplating this turn of events, Sanji came in, a steaming bowl in hand. The cook’s eye met those of his charge, and he smiled, setting the food in front of the older man.

-Here you go. I hope that you would like this food!

-Thank you for your kindness, Sanji-san.

Gin took the spoon and dug it in the warm soup. He scooped a bit and lifted it up, putting it in his mouth.   
The moment his mind registered the taste in his tongue, he couldn’t help but cry. It was delicious. Divine. And he has never tasted something like this before. And the alpha sitting by his side has made this. For him. Because he cared about him, and nothing else. Gaining nothing from the omega, but a simple ‘thank you’. And yet smiling, like he was presented the whole world.

-Th…Th… Thank youuu! , came the omega’s cry from between sobs and hiccups. His head bent down in a futile attempt to hide his tear-soaked face.

-Food should be given to anyone who asks for it. That’s a cook’s job. To make food so no-one would get hungry. Anyway, you should eat it before it gets cold.

And for the first time that day, Gin allowed himself to look at the alpha. The cook was leaning against the railing, looking at the se. A cigarette dangling front between his lips. The wind playing with his golden bangs.   
And pain washed over the omega’s soul at the sight. If this was another world and they were different people, he would’ve done everything in his power to stay by the alpha’s side. But, this is their world, and they are who they are, and he has a crew and a captain that he cannot abandon. 

And so, he looks at the alpha’s longingly, and mourns. For a happiness that he will never grasp – and will always regret.


End file.
